And We’re Back!

Hello again, friends! Welcome back to our stories about life at California Baptist University in Riverside, where the sun always shines (even in January).

While I am now transitioning back into full-blown student mode, I am developing a stronger appreciation for the time spent at home over Christmas Break. At the beginning of each break, I always find myself wondering what it will bring. The first few days often include sleeping in, watching entirely too much television with my little brother, and eating a lot of home-cooked food.

Once this period of relaxation passes, it is always interesting to see what opportunities God places in my life. I realize more and more the sure fact that even though I take breaks in life, my Lord never goes on vacation.

A few days into this year’s break, I received a phone call from a friend of mine who presented me with a small job offer. Instinctively, I cringed at the idea of working on my vacation, however once my friend told me about the position, I became convicted that this was one thing I should do with my free time.

A local artist had approached my friend asking if he could edit a book she had been working on. This woman had written a book of both prose and poetry, which documented her early life, family history, and recent health struggles. She had a stack of documents in need of organization so that she might compile them into a book to give to her family later on. My friend did not have the time necessary to complete this work, so he gave this woman my information. I soon received a call from her and agreed to help her complete this project.

Once I began working with this artist, I immediately developed the utmost respect for her. Reading about her highs and lows in life truly was an encouragement and a privilege. Each portion of her book oozed with a devotion to her family, friends, and respect for all individuals. She voiced her belief in the importance of service to others, and how the uncertainty of life truly improves upon one’s character. This artist had endured so much, and together we came up with a wonderful compilation of her life’s events and how it ties in with her family history. The final product makes a wonderful statement about the triumphs of humanity, and adds to the legacy of a marvelous human being.

Working with my new friend over Christmas break opened my eyes to the fact that life never stops, and we as Christians must always be willing to show the love of God to the people around us. I never would have chosen to take on such a project during a time when I looked forward to being lazy, but I learned that time is precious and we must take advantage of it.

Each individual is given strengths, and it is important (and a sincere form of worship) to use these God-given strengths to uplift others. As an English major and art enthusiast, I have the ability to present an editorial look at works of literature. I was able to use this gift to help my friend complete her book, and ensure that she felt proud of the work she had accomplished. The gratitude she expressed to me for offering my time and abilities as help to her was priceless, and made me realize the importance of practicing gifts for the glory of God year round, especially when we are given free time to do so.

This new year, let’s all make an effort to discover more about service. I would begin with a look into oneself in order to discover personal strengths, and then thank the Creator for providing those. Let’s take advantage of our time, and hold fast to opportunities to use our strengths to serve other people. In doing so, we get to be a testament of Christ’s love for us, and share His gospel in relevant ways.

2013 is going to be an excellent year. Let it be our aim to draw closer to Christ, and take advantage of our opportunities at CBU to learn more about how we can be of service to humanity.